24 Jul 2008

Canoeing in Wabakimi PP, ON, CANADA

The WORLD"S Largest Wilderness Canoeing Region ... and Gerry caught fish every day!

LOGISTICS 
Private Vehicles: All our homes to Armstrong, ON
First Night's Accommodation:
Air Charter: Air Mattice
Planes: Single Turbo Otter & Beaver
Pilot(s): Don Elliot, unknown
Tandem Flatwater Tripping Canoe(s): some CI+, high water, some travel on the Allan Water & Caribou rivers
Paddlers: Karen, Gerry, Heather, Fred, Helen, Dann
DVD Available: Get copy from Store


We booked an air charter with Mattice Lake Outfitters and flew into Granite Lake. Flight time was 08:45 am. First time in a single-engine Turbo Otter for both of us. We found out at the end of the trip that this plane was built in 1956. The two Beavers used by Mattice Lake Outfitters are built in 1951 and 1953. All aircraft are in fine shape.  The flight in was about ½ an hour.  Staff load all the gear and secure the boats to the aircraft pontoons. We’re with Fred & Heather and Karen & Gerry will fly in one of the Beavers. The flight in gave us a good aerial perspective of the type of terrain we’ll be paddling through over the next 2 weeks …… the Northern Boreal. Gear and boats were offloaded on the water – a first for me. Thankfully we had calm conditions.